Why those late night drives to get baby to sleep is no longer considered safe. Sort of.
4th February 2009
*sigh* Like parents need one more thing to worry about:
A tragic c
ase in Quebec has led the province’s coroner to recommend babies aren’t left to sleep in their car seats.
A two-month-old died after its mother put it to sleep in an infant seat in a crib. An autopsy showed the baby’s upright position in a car seat led to positi
onal asphyxiation.
“When a child is placed in this type of chair, Robinson said, there is a restriction in oxygenation due to the obstruction of the upper respiratory passages. Often, the head of a child will bend far over, cutting off oxygen supply.
“During the first few months of a child’s life, a baby should not be allowed to sleep for more than an hour during car rides, and its head and neck position should be checked regularly on long trips.”
Read the full story here.
So, does this mean swings aren’t safe, either? Because they’re at the same angle. Both my girls have slept in them (and their infant seats) for hours at a time. Eric’s Mom, and his family cottage, are both hours from here, and we regularly travel to both.
We bought a head snuggler thing for the infant seat for Alice, and with Lucy we used rolled-up receiving blankets to keep her head in place.
I know many parents, in desperation, who have taken their babies for drives to get them to sleep. And then left them sleeping in there. Heck, we do that when we come home from being out, if Alice is still asleep in her infant seat.
I guess what they’re saying is to not leave them unattended and asleep for hours sitting up. The story reiterates that putting baby to sleep on her/his back is the safest position.
(Thanks to Cindy for the link.)
Possibly related posts:
Scary! Although as my husband always points out to me the news captures the 1-in-a-million scenarios which maybe don’t reflect the real risks. Our pediatrician has recommended to put the baby in the car seat to sleep when she has a terrible cold, to help her nose drain better.
Also a good idea to have those mirrors for the rear-facing baby seats in the car ….
Yes, I read about this when I was pregnant and so was sure my baby never was left asleep in the swing. There has been more than just that one case of a baby dying from it
I’m sure this is valid, but frankly I think everyday it’s something new. I mean if a mother actually listened to everything they say nowadays, she’d go mental! My own doctor used to say to leave Ayven in his car seat to sleep at night when his colds were really bad. It was the only way, at such a new stage that he could breathe. I think the worry is just if the babies head flops over, but if you do something to prevent that, I don’t see an issue.
The whole thing is a little silly to me. I understand that terribly an infant died, but really, that poor baby probably had it’s head all leaned over, compressing it’s neck for hours! Of course it would lose oxygen!
OK the photo of Lucy at the top in her car seat is completely adorable ! i was going to nag about your car seat straps till i saw she was undone lol i love her wee hands holding onto the toys for dear life ..
All hail the bassinette ! IF I were to be so lucky to have an infant I would definetly be purchasing a stroller with a bassinette. There are too many babies that never see the inside of their flat laying stroller until they are too big for the car seat. And thats hours for some people in the mall etc.
I admit when DD came home at 7 months old and we were adjusting to the 12 hour time difference I put her in the swing in desperate hope it would lull her to sleep (I was on the couch hoping for a small moment of shut eye) so I know the lack of sleep desperation and what it can do to a Mom ! LOL
Its so hard. Figuring out all this stuff. Its almost like they never ever want us to put them to bed and when we do we have to stay eyes ON all the time. Its impossible. Accidents happen, unfortunately .. especially when its to a baby who couldnt help themselves.
personal pet peeve: seeing Moms put their infants in umbrella strollers .. now THAT is dangerous !!
I’m with all of you … what next?
The car seat was the only place my daughter would sleep but then again, like Carly says, she was supervised.
Wow…you can imagine how my gut clutched reading this given that my grandson died in Dec. from positional asphyxia. I’ll just reiterate here what the coroner told me…laying a child on a blanket to sleep is BAD…who would’ve thunk it??? I certainly never. All of my children laid on blankets at one time or another…hundreds of times to sleep when they were infants. So did my other grandchildren and the dozens I provided childcare for over the year. Spit up in bed in the middle of the night…lay a blanket over the spot, change the sheets in the morning. Laying them on the couch to nap, spread a blanket under them. But if that baby rolls over in their sleep there is a chance, no matter how slim, but a chance that they could smother. I learned the hard way and I still have a hard time grasping that something so innocent cost my grandson his life.
Thanks for sharing, Carly. You can bet I forwarded that story to my son and his wife. Maybe it will make a difference in their thought process given what’s going on at present.
Hello,
I just wanted to let you know that there is a new product out there that may relieve some of the worry about letting a child sleep in their car seat. (Now, this product isn’t going to prevent “positional asphyxiation” especially for newborns as it isn’t as effective with babies that age.
But from about 4 months and up, it’s a great head support for babies and children of all ages. It’s a new head support for children that provides the support from above. It is pediatrician and chiropractor backed and it works well to properly support a child’s head and neck so there is no strain on their spine and no restriction to their airway, thus not depriving them of the their much needed oxygen and allowing them to go into a deeper, longer sleep. It is so much more peaceful to have a well rested child in the car.
Take a look at it at http://www.melrosekids.com.
Safe and comfy travels all!!